As Baldwin County continues to attract more people, education programs across the area will continue to be asked to adapt to meet demand.

Prekindergarten units are currently limited to accommodating 36 students, and after Orange Beach City Schools (OBCS) had already received two units from the Office of School Readiness (OSR), there were still more than 60 preregistered students expressing interest for next school year. With an overwhelming call for the expansion of prekindergarten education in the coastal community, OBCS has created an additional prekindergarten class for the 2024-25 school year, per an OBCS press release.

While operating with existing resources, OBCS, which separated from the county school district to form its own city school system in 2022 and currently enrolls 1,250 students in K4-12, opens its third prekindergarten class this upcoming school year to allow space in its early childhood education offerings for many of those on the outside looking in. Children from 0 to 10 years of age are growing as a group faster than almost any other age bracket in Baldwin County, with population counts up 36.1% from 2010 to 2024 and projected to increase another 19.4% by 2034, according to JobsEQ.

“This initiative aligns with the district's commitment to ensuring that children in our community have access to quality early educational opportunities,” OBCS wrote in its release on Friday, April 12. “Establishing an additional class will address the high demand and provide more children with a strong foundation as they begin their educational journey with Orange Beach City Schools”

OBCS added that seat allocation for the new class will be announced soon, encouraging parents and guardians of preregistered students to stay informed on upcoming seat awards and registration procedures.